Travel Policies

The USATF National Office Staff is primarily responsible for making travel arrangements for the U.S. World Championship Team. Athletes will not travel as a Team to the World Championships. In order to serve our athletes better USATF is offering three options for the purchasing of airline tickets to Helsinki.

1. Travel Stipend to Agent – An athlete's agent/coach may choose to purchase the athlete's ticket and provide USATF with a copy of the full travel itinerary, a copy of the ticket and the ticket receipt showing cost of ticket by July 15, 2005 in order to receive the travel stipend. USATF will reimburse the agent/coach $1025 per athlete ticket purchased after the World Championships are over and the athlete (s) has competed. The Local Organizing Committee will not be responsible for airport pick-up in Helsinki for athletes who have not provided USATF with their travel itineraries.
2. Travel Stipend to Athlete – An athlete may choose to purchase his/her airline ticket and receive the $1025 travel stipend from USATF. Athlete must provide USATF a full travel itinerary, a copy of the ticket and a copy of the ticket receipt showing cost of ticket by July 15, 2005 in order to receive the travel stipend. Athletes should note that no travel stipends will be paid until after the World Championships is over and they have competed.
   
   Note: Ticket information needed for the $1025 reimbursement should be emailed to Sandy Snow at sandy.snow@usatf.org or faxed to her at 770-395-6689 no later than July 15, 2005.
3. USATF's Travel Department – An athlete may choose to have Kim Skinner in the National Office Travel Department book his/her tickets. USATF will only pay for a round trip ticket from the athlete's home city to Helsinki. Airline reservation made by Kim must be made no later than 21 days prior to the travel date. Athletes who are traveling the track circuit this summer are responsible for any additional airfare expenses they may incur prior to traveling to Helsinki. Kim can be reached at travel@usatf.org or at 800-955-5822.

Athletes participating in the Throwers Camp at the Kurotane Olympic Training Center and the 4x100m Relay Camp in Helsinki should book their World Championships ticket to encompass the dates of the pre-training camps.

Travel itineraries changed after ticketing will be at the expense of the athlete. Athletes must provide changes to Sandy Snow, Director of International Teams and Championships in order for housing and airport transportation to be revised. Contact Sandy at sandy.snow@usatf.org or on her cell at 770-330-6482. This is an international cell number, thus it will work in Helsinki.

Athletes carrying their competition shoes in their carry-on luggage (and we strongly suggest that you do), must remove the individual spikes in the shoes as these are considered a security risk. These spikes should be placed in your checked luggage.